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MINUTES
January 17. 1961.—No.232
Reporting Division Heads Meeting and other Matters of Interest
to University of British Columbia Library Staff
Present: NH, SR, RJL, IB, GGT, NKT, JOR, MD, EB, AE, JS, ML,
BSS, AMS, DF, EC, and HM.
Forest History
The January, 1961, issue of "B. C Lumberman contains
a report of the Forest History Seminar held at the University
in November.
The Forest History Foundation (with headquarters in
St. Paul), which is concerned with the preservation and use
of forestry records in the United States and Canada, is
preparing a comprehensive bibliography of the forest industry.
A preliminary outline has been received and it will be circulated to the Division Heads for suggestions and criticisms.
Annual Report
The Librarian has received the following letter from
the Secretary of the Senate:
Dear Mr. Harlow:
At the recent meeting, the members of
Senate asked me to express their congratulations
and appreciation to you and your staff for the
excellent report on the Library for 1959-60.
As you are aware, the recommendations
having to do with financial matters are being forwarded to the Board of Governors for their consideration.
All good wishes for the continued development
of the Library as the focus of the academic life
of the University.
Yours sincerely,
"J.E.A. Parnall"
Secretary to Senate.
Mr. Harlow reported that Dr. Cowan, Chairman of the
Library Committee, four other members of the Committee and
himself have been asked to attend the next meeting of the
Board of Governors to discuss the budget requests.
38 39
Catalog Information Desk
It is too soon to report fully upon the usefulness
of the new information desk which has been set up beside the
public catalog. Those on duty are satisfied that it is
worthwhile, and an average of perhaps 60 questions a day
have been asked. In some instances reference questions are
referred to the subject divisions; many inquires relate to
the location of periodicals. A telephone will probably be
necessary for communication with the Catalog and Serials
Divisions.
New Fire Extinguishers
A member of the Fire Marshall's department attended
the meeting^) demonstrate the use of the new fire extinguishers
of which 50 or 60 have been installed throughout the building.
In case of fire, the procedure is to:
1. Alert people in the immediate area.
2. Call the Fire Department; and have someone
go to the East Mall to direct the firemen
when they arrive.
3. Attempt to extinguish the fire.'
The new fire extinguisher units are of the compressed
water type, designed for use against ("Class A") fires in
wood, paper and other dry materials which are most likely
to start in the Library. In order to work the extinguishers:
(1) Pull the pin (by the ring attached) at the top of
the unit; this releases the handle and allows the extinguisher
to operate.
(2) Press the handle and direct the hose at the base
of the fire. As soon as the handle is released the water will
stop flowing.
The gauge at the top of the extinguisher shows the air
pressure in the unit and when the pointer is toward the green
area, the unit is ready for action. If it goes down to the
red area, the fire department should be notified. A periodic
check of all the fire extinguishers will be made, but staff
should note the gauges in their vicinity and report any that
may need attention.
Staff are asked to locate the extinguishers Closest
to their divisions so that they can be put into action when
required.
In the Staff Room there is a small, red, round chemical
fire extinguisher which is to be used in case of grease fire
around the stove. This type is more effective than water for
smothering such fires and for use around electrical equipment.
However, the water type (or a pitcher full from the tap!) should
be used for fires in waste baskets and garbage receptacles. 40
The main fire alarm for the Library is located outside
the central entrance, on the front of the building nearest
the College Library. However, quicker action will result by
calling the emergency telephone number, LOCAL 222~
The Fire Department on the campus is also an emergency
first aid service. However, in case of emergency, the University Health Centre should be called first. If transportation
is required, call the Fire Department on their regular number
- Local 330 - (NOT the emergency one) and ask for a car to
transport the injured or ill person to the Health Centre.
7 O'Clock Show
On Monday and Tuesday evenings, the TV program, "The
7 O'Clock Show", featured a report on the Vancouver post office
riots of 1938, and some of the pictures used had come from
Special Collections. An acknowledgement was made to the
University Library.
Ad Hoc Committee to Select a University Librarian
A Committee has been appointed, under the chairmanship
of Dr. Ian McT. Cowan, of which Mr. Harlow is a member, to
secure and interview candidates for the position of University
Librarian. Recommendations from the staff would be welcome.
Publications by Staff Members
An excellent summary article by Geoffrey Selth, of
the Catalog Division, entitled, "Library Associations in
Canada," appeared in the Australian Library Journal of
October, i960, v.9, page iyy-161.
In the Research Digest, November, i960, issued by the
Urban Planning Research Group, is a report on a study of
"Performance standards for space and site planning for residential development" being carried on by the U.B.C. Department
of Community Planning and the School of Architecture; a considerable amount of work in relation to it had been done by
Miss Melva Dwyer and she is listed as librarian of the project.
Card Catalog Rods
Mr. Turner asked that if any spare rods for catalog
drawers are known to be available in the Library, they be
turned over to him for his authority file as the rods- are
missing from a number of the drawers.
College Library
The examination papers have been removed from circulation in the College Library and will be available again on
April 1.
A number of Senior Matric students have been coming to
the Library asking to borrow books; these students are not
ov>-H-Hp^ -frn hA^TTiuHng1 V\V\ Y_llfigflfLi] 41
Medical Librarian
Dr. B. Rogers, Librarian of the National Library of
Medicine, Washington, D.C, will be in Seattle at meetings
of the Medical Library Association in May. He has been
invited by the University and the B. C. Medical Library
Service to speak in Vancouver. The date of his appearance
will be announced later.
British Columbia Library Association
The spring conference of the British Columbia Library
Association will be held at Qualicum on May 27-28, 1961.
School of Librarianship
Dr. Rothstein reported that an interim Council has
been set up to study the curriculum for the proposed School
of Librarianship, which, if approved by them, will go to the
Faculty of Arts and Science on January 25, and from there
to the Senate on February 8.
Saturday Review
An article by Dr. Harold Taylor (formerly President
of Sarah Lawrence College) in the January 7, 1961, issue of
Saturday Review includes the following paragraph about books,
teachers, librarians, and libraries:
We will not have the atmosphere for learning
or the true content of learning until we have
teachers who themselves haunt the bookshops and
who think of librarians as friends and companions
in pursuit of ideas rather than as clerks and
custodians of book collections. Nor will we have
the atmosphere for learning in our colleges and in
our libraries unless we have librarians who work
directly with teachers and students because they
want to, and because they too are involved in the
intellectual life of their own time.
Personal
Miss Dorothy Jefferd, former Head of the Catalog
Division, is in hospital recovering from quite a severe
stroke, suffered about two weeks ago.
Miss Ethel Fugler is at home following an operation.
Mr. David Higgs, of the Acquisitions Division, has
been granted an I.O.D.E. Scholarship in history. He hopes
to continue his studies in London. 42
PERSONNEL
Appointments
Mrs. Roswitha Nielsen, as Clerk I in the Biomedical
Library on January 20'.
Resignations
Mrs. ElenaMondin, as Clerk I in the Catalog Division
on February 3.
Miss Ann DeLotbiniere-Harwood, as Library Assistant
in the College Library on February 21.
Miss Marjorie Conway, as Clerk II in the Science
Division on February 25.
The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.